I sat down with writer Molly Boyle to find out more about Sweet Thing.

Can you tell me a little about your show and what audiences can expect?

The show is a one-act dissection of a young woman’s grief and the way it manifests in her life. Mia is dead, and her ghost lingers. The Artist must finish her painting, but what will she do when her beloved friend’s ghost disappears with every stroke of her brush? Between her therapist’s prodding and the ghost’s distress, the Artist must eventually decide whether holding on tightly keeps memory alive, or kills it.

What drew you to this specific story?

I wanted to wade into the messy, obscure waters of grief and memory. The people we love and then lose stay with us in incredibly unique ways, and the idea of a person trying so hard to keep memory alive that they actually twist and warp it was particularly moving to me.

What has been the biggest challenge in bringing this production to life?

Trying to honour the many faces of grief in a single person is a tall order, especially how it changes someone over time. Exploring all of those facets in the container of a one-act play was a challenge. It felt like the performance equivalent of riding a bullet train for our cast.

How does the design of your show (set, sound, or lighting) impact the presentation of your story?

Anyone who sees the show will know that there is one particular lighting design element that is completely crucial to the characters’ journey. Getting to interact with it onstage is such a gift – it really intensifies the emotional impact of the story.

If you could sum up the show in one word or phrase, what would it be and why?

I would say “Remembering versus rewriting”. It captures the Artist’s very human struggle to hold on to the friend that she loved while not totally calcifying around her death.

Sweet Thing ran at the Hen & Chickens Theatre earlier this month and was produced by One Too Many Productions.